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Total Disaster


Thrashed

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Just had a total disaster!!

 

Jacked the car up to check the sump bolts after replacing the gasket and to adjust the clutch to remove a bit of play.

 

On lowering the car down the jack slipped and the block of wood pushed the engine up! As a result the B+ of the alternator hit the cross chassis rail and a massive electric fire starts!

 

Had small ones in old minis but this was serious. pulled the leads to the battery but I now have an engine bay full of charred remains of what use to be a wiring loom.

 

Looks like every wire has melted together and all the sheathing has melted off. Nothing looks salvageable so will have to start the process of stripping the car and seeing how far the damage goes.

 

Guess I will have to check each component, but guess the alternator, battery, stealth blackbox, starter will all be knackered?

 

If anyone has any good methods to work too, I am all ears.

 

Failing that might just push it back on the drive and let it carry on burning! I hate this car right now!

 

Good news is I sorted all my oil leaks!

 

:cray:

Edited by Thrashed
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Oh dear :(

 

Understatement central from me, I know, but... well... sometimes it's better to just shut up and give an internet hug :)

 

"It's only wire!"

 

Fuses may have protected some things, you never know... depends what route the short took, and which wires melted into one another, so you never know... some stuff might be fine.

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Thanks for the hug

 

Just gonna pull it all apart tomorrow and see what the damage is. Will work from there once I know how bad it is.

 

The short looks like it has gone from the alternator to the starter. The down side is that every engine bay wire was bundled together so its melted the lot!

 

Will keep you posted.

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Guest peter2b2002

had that happen on a mini van years ago on the way back from the off licence, smoke poored out from the dash lights flashed on stopping I went to pull the + connection off the battery behind the drivers seat , girl friend thought I was trying to save the booze and was pulling me back out but i mansged to get the + connection off and save the booze,the cause was were the main loom went through a hole in the dash a self tapper had shorted out a dash bulb wire melting the whole loom together 2 days and loads of bullet connectors later all ok

chin up could have been worse

peter-2b

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Depending on the damage you find it may be better to remove entire loom and start again, I personal would make my own loom but I am an electrician, it's not hard just do it one wire at a time, I start furthest from fuse box 1st.

 

By the way gutted for you !!!!

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That is a big bummer. Dan is probably right at least you would know that everything was as good as it could be if you started from scratch. Plus you would have one to copy. It would take you a lot more time than it would take Dan though if you are not a sparky by trade. At least you saved the car and maybe apart from the loom things aren't too bad. Just at the time of year when you should be driving not fixing it. I feel for you, good luck.

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Steve,

 

so sorry to read of your predicament, there are so many helpful electrifying comrades you have out there, sadly I am not a wiring type person but am sure someone will assist.

 

GOOD LUCK Steve you will win you always do OK its your positive side you never ever seem negative.

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These cars are so frustrating, I feel your pain my car has been off the road for 12 months and many a time I thought about selling it as is. Called it many names and cursed many expletives, I hope you can repair everything and get it back on the road.

All the best.

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Thanks for the support guys. Not sure I feel any more positive about it today but going to make a start pulling it apart and seeing what's what. Will post up some pics later

 

The loom is a premier wiring loom

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